The Mermaid
by numberoneseeker
Summary: Have you ever wondered why Hermione goes to the library at night a lot? Ever wonder whys she spends so much time in there? You see, Hermione has a secret. A dark secret that only she knows about. But what happens when Harry finds out? This is her story.
1. You're a What?

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DISCLAIMER! - I don't own anything! Except for the plot! (I think!)

***I'm back with a new story! Yes, my other ones will be updated soon don't worry! Enough said, on with the story!***

The Mermaid

Chapter One: You're a What?

I had to hurry, if I didn't get there soon, who knows what could happen to me. As I sprinted across the Hogwarts grounds, the darkness surrounding me and the sounds of the night reaching my ears, I ran, my feet hitting the grass, my cloak sprawled out behind me, caught in the wind, my hair blowing away in the cool breeze and my throat dry. I slowed down as I reached my destination, a secluded part of the lake that surround the castle. I checked my watch and saw that it was nearly time. As the minutes ticked away, I waited patiently, I knew what was coming. Then it hit me. The pain was unbearable no matter how many times I had felt it before, each time it seemed to get worse. Luckily I had taken my shoes off earlier as my legs were growing now and forming into one huge tail with a flipper on the end. My hair growing longer, and longer. It didn't stop until it reached the floor. My cloak lay forgotten on the floor along with my uniform as a small top made out of shells appeared on me while my tail covered the bottom half of me. Gills began to grow on either side of my neck and my fingers became webbed. 

I dived into the water and swan deep down beneath the surface. Here is where I would stay until the early hours of the morning when I would change back. I swam, deeper and deeper, until I finally came to the spot I had called my bedroom and swam into the small cave on the side of the wall. I came to a stop and lay done on the stone. I closed my eyes and fell into a gentle sleep. My tail swaying back and forth in the current of the water. 

I was awoken hours later by the sounds of the other mer people getting up. I could hear their movements in the water and the sound of their songs they were singing. I opened my eyes and headed for the surface of the lake. As soon as I emerged on the top of the water, my gills on the side of my neck disappeared and my breathing became normal once more. My tail began to shrink below the water and my legs reappeared. My hair shortening and going back to its original length. My hands turned back to normal and the shell top that I had been wearing was replaced by a swimming costume. A black one to be precise. I looked around and saw the sun begging to rise from the east and climbed out of the water. I cast a spell to dry myself off and put my uniform back on, removing my swimming costume in the process. When I was fully dressed, I ran back across the grounds and back into Hogwarts. I checked my watch as I entered the common room. Seven o'clock, exactly. Since it was Saturday, everybody would still be asleep in bed. 

Quietly, I crept up the stairs and into the girls dormitories. I left the door open behind me as I put my swimming costume away and grabbed my bag from the end of my bed. I tiptoed out of the room and closed the door slowly behind me. I headed back down to the common room and I walked out of the portrait hole. This time I really was going to the library, I was trying to find a spell that would let me turn into a mermaid at will and not just at night. 

As I entered the library I found that I was the only one in there. I took my usual table at the back and pulled a few books of the shelf. I placed my bag on the table in front of me and sat down. I opened the first book and began to read. I was so busy reading in fact that I didn't even notice Harry come in and sit at the table opposite me. I finally did notice him when I placed the book down to pick up a new one.

"Oh, hi Harry, how long have you been sitting there?" I asked smiling at him. He smiled back and the replied.

"About ten minutes, so what you reading anyway?" he asked.

"Nothing, nothing"

Quickly, I stacked the books into a pile and put them back onto the shelf. I had found a spell, that I could try and if it worked I would have to place it on myself every two months, and from then on I would be able to change into my mermaid form whenever I wanted to. I placed the small piece of paper with the spell on it into my pocket and picked my bag up of the table. I turned to look back at Harry and spoke.

"Want to go and get some breakfast?" I asked.

"Mione, breakfast finished an hour ago and everyone has gone to Hogsmede, including Ron and Lavender, me and you are the only ones left who stayed out of our year"

"Oh, well, want to go for a walk around the grounds?" I offered.

"Sure, just let me grab my coat, from the common room"

It was fun walking around the grounds with Harry, we didn't get to do it that often but when we did, it was surprising on how many things we had to tell each other. The rest of the day seemed to go pretty quickly and I was eager for the darkness to come so as I could try out the spell. Finally, it came and since Harry and Ron were too involved with a game of chess they didn't even notice me sneak out of the common room. 

I ran as fast and as quiet as I could down and out onto the grounds. I sprinted over to the secluded part of the lake I had been going to for over two years now. It was funny, I never I, imagined myself as a witch, let alone a mermaid. But it happened in kind of an odd way. At the end of the Tri-Wizard tournament in fourth year, as Krum pulled me out of the water and I started to breath again, he walked off to get dry, but as I still had my feet in the water, I felt something bite me, but when I looked down there was nothing there. I knew I had to find out what happened so, as usual, I went to the library and took out a book on bites. Which told me what would happen to me and that if a spell was found it might be able to change the effects but not remove them, but it would only work on certain people. 

I stopped at the edge of the water and looked down into its depths. I checked my watch and found that I had two minutes to go before I would change for the night. Quickly, I pulled out my wand and aimed it at the top of my head. I said the incantation and a bright white light shot out of the tip off my wand and washed over my body. I check my watch three minutes had passed since I cast the spell and I hadn't changed into my mermaid form. It had worked. I tried to see if I could change into a mermaid at will, I closed my eyes and pictured my mermaid form in my mind. I opened my eyes and I was in my mermaid form, the only difference being was that my gills hadn't appeared yet. I figured that they wouldn't appear until I was in the water, so I decided to try it out. I dived off the edge of the lake into the water and just like I had thought, my gills appeared and I swam around for about and hour before deciding to get out and head back up to the common room. As I climbed out of the water, my gills disappeared even though I was still in my mermaid form. I closed my eyes once more and when I opened them I was back in my uniform and I was back to my normal self. 

I got up off the ground and couldn't help but smile. I checked my watch, half one in the morning, I figured everyone would be in bed now so I sprinted up to the common room, narrowly avoiding Filch on the second floor. I gave the password in to the Fat Lady, who was still awake and I entered. But as the portrait swung shut behind me. I noticed someone sitting on the couch near the fire. Their eyes turned towards me and the smile immediately vanished from my face. It was Harry, and I could see from the light of the fire reflecting in his eyes that they were filled with concern and worry. 

"Mione, where have you been? After we came back from walking around the lake I thought you went straight to bed but when I asked Lavender were you up there she said no" he asked, walking over to me.

I didn't know what to say, if I told Harry the truth I wouldn't know how he'd take it, but if I lied he would be able to tell. I thought this over for a few moments in my mind before finally telling him the truth, but I decided to start of simple first.

"I've been at the lake Harry, why do you ask?" I replied casually.

"Why? Mione, I've been sitting here for three hours waiting for you!"

"Oh well, there was no need"

"Mione, you're my best friend and I was worried sick about you!"

I knew this would only end up in an argument so I decided to just tell Harry the truth, right there, right then. I walked over to the couch and sat down, Harry followed suit and waited for me to answer him. I looked him in the eye and took a deep breath before starting.

"Harry, there's something you don't know about me" I said.

Suddenly his eyes changed from worry and concern to curiosity. 

"What is it Mione, you know you can tell me anything" he replied softly.

"Well, I don't know how to say this but, I'm a mermaid" I said, barely above a whisper. 

A/N: End of chappie! Cliffhanger! I'm evil aren't I? Mwhahahaha! Sorry. Anyway, next part should be up real soon and I'm trying my best to update my other stories as fast as I can, so I sorry if I'm taking so long but I'm busy with school at the moment. Please, please review and no flames! Thanks!

Bye for now

numberoneseeker

XXX


	2. Understanding

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Finally! The summer holidays are here! And I can finally update my stories! No more work, no more tests! Woo hoo! Ok, sorry bout that, anyway, I'm finally updating my stories, and I know you all hate me because I haven't updated in a while, ok, ok, ages, but all I can say is sorry. Anyway enough said, here is the next chapter of The Mermaid, enjoy! ducks as rotten tomatoes are thrown

The Mermaid

Chapter Two: Understanding

"A what?" he asked, not looking at me.

I sighed, before I found my voice and replied once more.

"I said, I'm a mermaid"

This time my voice was louder and perfectly clear. I knew Harry had heard me but I was terrified of how he would react. The silence that had surrounded us was deadly, it had been almost twenty minutes since those words left my mouth but Harry still hadn't said anything. I looked up at him and found that he was staring intently at the fire, his brow furrowed, deep in thought. I couldn't take it anymore, I had to say something, so I stood up and blocked his view of the fire. As soon as I did this, his head slowly rose upwards and his emerald eyes poured into my own dull brown ones. It seemed he was searching my face for any indication that I was lying, but I wasn't, and he sighed as he realised this.

"Harry, please say something, anything" I begged him.

"What do you mean exactly when you say that you're a mermaid?" he asked, still looking at me.

"I mean exactly what I say, I'm a mermaid, you know, like the ones in the lake near the school"

I sat back down next to Harry, only to have him stand up. He looked down at me and sighed once more.

"I'm going to bed Mione, night" he said dully.

He sprinted up the steps to the boys dormitories, almost as if he was scared of me, and shut the door behind himself.

I looked around the common room, it was deserted, books and parchment lay scattered about and the last few embers of the fire were slowly dying out. I put my face in my hands and silently cried, the tears running freely down my face. I hoped that Harry of all people would understand this, and at least give me a chance to explain myself, but no, he just left me here, alone.

I eventually cried myself to sleep that night, on the common room couch. However, when I woke up in the morning, I found that someone had placed a blanket over me and there was a note on the table in front of me. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. I checked my watch and found that it was six o'clock on Saturday morning. I yawned and reached over for the note. Carefully, I opened it and looked around the common room before reading it.

'Meet me down by the lake when you wake up.

Signed,

A friend'

A friend? But, who could it be? I gathered my thoughts and stood up off the couch. I cast a spell with my wand to change into some clean clothes and placed my cloak on. I stuffed the note into my pocket and walked out of the portrait hole. At least it was still early so everybody would still be in bed. Quietly, I made my way out of the school and over to the lake where I spotted a figure.

I knew who it was, their messy black hair gave them away easily. It was Harry. I hoped that maybe he had asked me out here to give me a chance to explain myself. Hesitantly, I walked behind him. I thought about placing my hand on his shoulder but decided against it. I spoke instead.

"Harry?" I asked, carefully.

I heard him sigh before he turned around. He looked directly into my eyes and I felt my breath catch in my throat. I had never seen Harry look at me like that before. I mean, sure, I had had feelings for him that went higher than the line of friendship, but I had no intention of acting on them as I knew Harry didn't feel the same way, but now I wasn't so sure.

Ever so slowly, he reached for my hand and took it in his own. I looked down at it before looking back up at him again.

"Hermione, when you told me about you being a mermaid last night, I didn't know how to react, or whether to believe you or not, but when I lay in bed last night, I thought it over and I realised, mermaid or not, your still the same Hermione I have known for almost six years now. I wouldn't care what you were or what you looked like, the only thing that matters to me is that your Hermione on the inside, and I love you for that, and I don't mean in a friendship kind of way either. I mean I love you Hermione, I always have and always will" said Harry.

By now, I had tears of joy streaming down my face as I smiled up at Harry. He said he loved me the same way I love him, I couldn't believe it.

"Oh Harry, I love you too" I replied, my voice wavering because of the tears.

He smiled at me, wider than he ever had before, and slowly leant in towards me. I leant in towards him, and ever so softly our lips touched. Fireworks shot off in my head and I lost all thought. My arms slowly snaked there way around Harry's neck as his move around my waist, pulling me closer and holding onto me protectively. I smiled against his lips and felt him do the same. I could have stayed that way forever, but unfortunately, the need to breathe was becoming urgent, so reluctantly, I pulled away.

I looked up at Harry and smiled, he did the same before stepping away from me. I looked at him confused before he spoke.

"Show me Hermione, show me" he said ever so quietly, but loud enough for me to hear.

I nodded slowly and closed my eyes. My mermaid form entered my mind as I felt myself change. After a few moments, I opened my eyes and looked over at Harry. He looked absolutely shocked, and that was the only way to describe it. I giggled at him and he gave a warm smile before sitting down on the edge of the lake. Again, I looked at him baffled, but this time, all he did, was point towards the lake. It took me a few moments but I finally caught on as to what he wanted me to do. He wanted to watch me swim, to watch me in my mermaid form, happy as I could ever be.

I smiled at him, before diving into the lake, and I'd have to say, the feeling of the water as it hit my face, never felt more alive.

A/N: Well, that's it, I'm done with this fic, all I can say, is hope you liked it and well, yeah. Please, please review and no flames! Thanks!

Bye for now

numberoneseeker

xxx


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